Mental health and well-being of migrant communities
- 27 January 2007

DCU in partnership with Cairde has received EU funding to carry out research into the mental health and well-being of migrant communities in Ireland. It will also provide, for the first time, an Irish dimension to projects being undertaken across the EU in the field of migrant and ethnic minority health.

The research will be carried out by DCU researchers under the leadership of Professor Ronnie Munck. It will be directed and driven by members of the community, who will work in consultation with community leaders to identify the self-perceived needs and priorities of minority communities. Researchers from these communities will then investigate the needs in depth.

Topics to be investigated include awareness of services available, resources available in the community, the use that is made of the services, how the population relates to community resources of which they are aware, identification of issues that might lead to a need for provision of a service.

The project is part of the EU 'Science Shop' scheme whereby researchers provide their services on an affordable basis, promote and support public access to science and technology, provide civil society with knowledge and skills through reserach and education.

DCU's School of Nursing will provide resources for the training of field researchers and provide support in the collection and analysis of data.

Cairde is a non-government organisation working to reduce health inequalities amongst ethnic minorities. It supports communities to enhance their own health and well-being. It has carried out community-based health research within the North Inner City area of Dublin and formed the New Communities Partnership and Ethnic Minority Health Forum.

The other partner is the Queen's University Belfast Science Shop (www.qub.ac.uk/scisho) that is a leading exponent of this movement.

ENDS